Flirts and Crafts
by MrTyeDye
Summary: Two new children take root in Royal Woods - a sassy preteen named Mindy, and her imaginative little brother Milo. The two of them take a particular liking to Lincoln and Lucy, respectively.
1. New Year, New Beginnings

**Author's Note: Well, here goes nothing. This here's my first attempt at creating an original character-centered story. Hope it goes well!**

* * *

"You're kidding."

"I'm _not_!"

"How could you possibly think that Muscle Fish 4 is better than 3?!"

It was another typical lunch period at Royal Woods Middle School. It was September, the dawning of a new school year, and it had taken almost no time for the students to settle back into their usual routines. Having finished their meals, Lincoln and Rusty were now engaged in a heated debate over the acclaimed Muscle Fish gaming franchise while their friends - Liam, Zach, Clyde and Stella - watched in amusement.

"Muscle Fish 4 was the first one to have online play," said Rusty.

"_And_?" asked Lincoln. "So you can play against some kid in South Korea and have him teabag you and call you a noob. Big whoop."

"Sounds like _someone _needs to learn how to play."

"Oh, like _you _don't get wrecked by those Korean kids too."

"I know I do," Liam chimed in. "Soon as I see that flag next to their gamer handle, I just call it quits. Them Koreans are -"

"You guys talking about Muscle Fish?" called a voice from beyond the table.

All six children swerved their heads in the direction of the voice, and spied a fair-skinned girl around their age in a form-fitting baby blue sweater. Her scarlet hair was done up in thin braids that hung down to her shoulders, and she had an orange skirt around her waist that swished back and forth with her every movement.

"I'm gonna have to side with carrot top over there," said the girl, gesturing towards Rusty. "The physics in that game are way tighter. I like 3 as much as the next guy, but every time I jumped in that game I felt like I was on the moon."

The group was a bit stymied. As friend groups go, they were pretty insular, and it was rare that someone from the outside entered their space - especially someone they had never seen before.

As soon as he got over the shock, the first thing Rusty did, naturally, was gloat.

"Looks like that's one more vote for the Rust Man!" he said with a smirk, before turning to the new girl. "Wanna join us?"

"Sure!" she said. The new girl grabbed a chair and scooted it into the gap between Lincoln and Liam. She then leaped over the chair and plopped herself down, making her skirt flutter from the impact.

"Name's Mindy. Just moved here from some nowhere town nobody cares about. How 'bout all of you?"

Lincoln, having recovered from the surprise of the new stranger strutting her way into his friend group, decided to take the initiative and make the introductions. "Well, I'm Lincoln. And these..."

He pointed to each of his friends in rapid succession. "...are Liam, Rusty, Zach, Stella and Clyde. Nice to meet you!"

Mindy bent over the table and gave each kid a firm handshake. Once she got to Stella, she eyed her up and down and let out an impressed whistle.

"You've got quite a tall glass of water over here," she remarked. "Someone's been eating her green veggies."

Stella giggled, shrinking away from the newcomer. "I'm just an early bloomer, I guess."

Mindy continued to go around the circle before finally arriving at Lincoln, taking him by the hand and giving him a nice hard shake. As she did, Lincoln felt a slight tingle in his palm - almost like he was being tickled there. When he looked at her face, however, he saw that she was wearing the same jovial expression as before.

_Must've just been my imagination_, he thought.

"So tell us a lil' bit 'bout yourself, Mindy," said Liam. "Whaddaya like to do? Besides playin' Muscle Fish, I mean."

"I sing, I do gymnastics, and I've mastered seven martial arts," she rattled off. She stuck out her chin, daring them to ask another question.

Her response elicited a few raised eyebrows around the table. "Wow, really?" asked Rusty.

As soon as Rusty opened his mouth, Mindy lost her composure and broke out into giggles. "No, I'm kidding," she said with a roll of her eyes. "About most of that, anyway. I could never be a gymnast. Those girls are _freaks_." She embellished the last word, making it sound as though it were two syllables long ("fuh-_reaks"_) and gesticulated as she said it.

"I do sing, though. Wanna hear?"

After getting a few nods around the table, she she sang a couple of bars from "Steppin' Out with My Baby" by Irving Berlin. Her voice was light, smooth and relaxed, demonstrating a complete lack of effort or strain.

"Not bad!" said Lincoln. "You should meet my sister, Luna. She sings, too. And she plays guitar!"

Mindy turned to face Lincoln. "Oh, really?" she asked. "What about you, Lincoln? Are you a musician too?"

He chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, no, not me. I mean, I can kind of carry a tune, but I'm more into magic."

"What, like the trading card game?"

Lincoln felt the urge to roll his eyes. It seemed like every time he told his friends he was into magic, they would always ask about that stupid game. Still, out of a desire to make a good first impression, he managed to fight that urge.

"N-no, I mean _real _magic," he said. "Not that magic is real, but... you know what I mean. Magic. Sleight of hand. Coin tricks."

Mindy clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "You're funny, Lincoln."

_I wasn't really trying to be, but... thanks?_

The seven of them proceeded to gab away for the next few minutes. Lincoln noticed right off the bat that she was the kind of girl who smiled a lot; even so, whenever she was looking at him, it seemed that her smile grew just a bit bigger. Once again, though, he dismissed it as a product of his imagination. _I'm sure she's just friendly_, he thought.

When the bell finally rang, she leaped up, threw on her backpack and started striding away. "Well, I gotta get to class, but it was nice meeting you all. Buh-bye!"

The group looked on as she walked away, letting her bright orange skirt swish from side to side. Mid-stride, she looked over her shoulder, made eye contact with Lincoln and gave him a finger-twiddling wave.

_Okay, now that part I wasn't imagining. Was I?_

* * *

At the same time, Lucy was in the school courtyard, enjoying a solitary recess. Due to her bad luck, her friends in the Mortician's Club all had recess at different times from her; as such, she tended to keep to herself during this time. Although it did get lonely at times, she appreciated having forty-five minutes to write her poetry and watch the other children. Her classmates scurried around the yard, playing freeze tag, red rover, double dutch, tetherball... all activities that, to Lucy, weren't much fun to play, but were enjoyable enough to watch.

Her eyes drifted towards the three girls playing double dutch. The excited chanting of the girls swinging the ropes, the tireless footwork of the one jumping, and the perfect balance and harmony between all of their movements was mesmerizing to watch - so mesmerizing, in fact, that Lucy was inspired to write down a couplet in her poetry diary.

_Jump, jump, faster, faster_

_Dance to the rhythm of the siren's call_

_Jump, jump, higher, higher_

_Don't miss a beat or they'll let you fall_

Feeling proud of herself, she looked up from her diary and scanned the courtyard again, in search of more inspiration. It was tough, though, when all of the faces she saw were of children she had grown accustomed to seeing every day.

All, that is, but one.

In the midst of her search, she spied a boy she had never seen before sitting off to the side, with his back rested against the wall of the school. From her distance, there was little she could make out about him, aside from a red shirt and a thick, blonde mane of curly hair. She could, however, tell that he was preoccupied with something. There was something in his lap that he was fiddling with.

_What's he doing?_

Curious, she put her diary back in her backpack, left her post and started to creep over towards him, one step at a time. As she drew closer, she was able to make out other details - like the fact that his shirt rode up a bit, exposing his pudgy belly. She also noticed the myriad materials on the ground next to him - a tube of glue, a few markers, and a box of what looked like sequins and glitter - and got a better look at the object in his lap, which seemed to be a doll of some sort. He was so absorbed in whatever he was doing that he failed to see her approach. It wasn't until she was just a couple feet away that he finally took notice of her.

Sensing that someone was near, he looked up, saw her staring at him, and yelped, nearly dropping the project he was working on. Lucy, having grown accustomed to being greeted that way, didn't flinch at his reaction. She just stood by and waited for him to compose himself.

Once he caught his breath, he craned his head back up to look her in the eye - or at least tried to. With the thick, black bangs concealing Lucy's eyes, all the boy could do was give it his best guess.

"I- um- may I help you?" he asked, looking on with mild apprehension.

"Sorry for startling you," said Lucy. "I just wanted to see what you were doing."

The boy's eyes drifted down to his lap. "Oh, this? I was making a finger puppet. See?"

He slid the puppet onto his pointer finger and held it up for Lucy to see. The puppet, made from green felt, had long, black hair made out of yarn, googly eyes, and a smirk that was drawn on with a black marker.

"He's almost done," said the boy. "I just need to give him some clothes. His name is Gus. He's a rock star."

He punctuated his statement by flicking his finger back, making the puppet whip his hair.

Lucy peered at the puppet with intrigue. That little sliver of a mouth conveyed quite a bit of personality. Just from his expression, Lucy could tell he was confident and self-assured, maybe even a little smug.

"Hello, Gus," she said, waving. As silly as she felt, she decided there would be no harm in humoring him. In response, the boy wiggled his finger back and forth, making the bite-sized rocker wave back.

"Gus thinks you look really cool," said the boy. "He likes your hair and your dress."

Lucy smiled a bit, taken off guard by the compliment. "Oh, um... thank you, Gus."

Feeling a little more comfortable around the stranger, she walked over and took a seat next to him. "I don't think I've ever seen you around here," she said. "Are you new?"

The boy nodded. "My family moved here from North Dakota. I miss our old town, but this city isn't too bad."

He looked back at her, bearing a friendly smile. "My name's Milo, by the way. What's yours?"

"Lucy," she said.

Milo's smile widened as he held his hand out for a shake. "Nice to meet you, Lucy."

Lucy hesitated for a couple of seconds before slowly extending her hand and accepting the shake. Her movements were slow and deliberate, as if she had just figured out how to perform the gesture yesterday.

"It was... nice to meet you too," she said. Sensing that Milo was a bit unnerved by the awkwardness of the shake, she threw out another question to break the tension. "Do you make a lot of those?" she asked, pointing down at the finger puppet.

"Oh, tons!" he said. "I can show you how to make one, if you'd like."

Lucy had to admit that the idea was a bit enticing. She had never been much for arts and crafts, but Milo - or rather, Gus - had charmed her in a way she didn't expect. Though she knew that he was just a piece of decorated felt, for the briefest of moments, he felt somewhat... alive.

But just as she opened her mouth for a response, the bell rang.

"Maybe next time," Milo said with a chuckle as he packed his supplies into his bag. "It was really nice meeting you, Lucy. I'll see you tomorrow!"

With that, he strode off towards his next class. Before he disappeared out of Lucy's sight, he turned back around, held up his pointer finger, and made Gus wave goodbye. Lucy couldn't help but smile as she waved back. Feeling a new wave of inspiration, she pulled out her poetry diary and jotted down a few lines:

_Milo, Milo, the puppet boy_

_He doesn't pout or cuss_

_He made a new friend out of felt_

_And named the fellow Gus_


	2. As a Button

The following morning, Lincoln and his friends met up in their usual spot in the hallway outside Mrs. Johnson's classroom. They typically got to school around 7:00, thirty minutes before homeroom officially began. Although they wished they didn't have to get out of bed so early (sans Liam, who was used to getting up at the crack of dawn), they appreciated having a bit of time to chat before class.

"Boy, that Mindy sure was something, wasn't she?" asked Lincoln.

Stella rubbed the back of her neck as her eyes drifted off to the side. "Well, she's quite a character, I'll give her that. I just don't know how I feel about her joining our gang."

This remark earned her a few concerned looks from the boys. "Y'don't like her?" asked Liam.

"It's not that I don't like her," said Stella. "I don't _dis_like her, at least. It's just... I don't know, it's weird. She came in out of nowhere and hopped into our circle."

"Stella, she's new," said Clyde. "She's a stranger to _everyone _in this school. Of course she's gonna try to put herself out there and make friends. I don't know why she chose _us_, but does it matter?"

He leaned into the circle, looking directly into Stella's eyes. "_Y__ou _were the new girl not too long ago. You should know how it feels."

Stella sighed. "That's fair," she muttered, averting Clyde's gaze.

"And I'm not telling you to ask her to the dance or anything," Clyde continued. "I'm just saying we should give her a chance. What's the harm in-"

"_There's a bright golden gaze on the meadow..."_

Clyde's voice trailed off once he picked up a familiar singing voice lilting down the hall, getting gradually louder. He looked back over his shoulder, and sure enough, there was Mindy, singing a blissful tune while meandering down the corridor.

_"Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day," _she sang as she approached the group. "_Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful..."_

Just before she reached the last word, she let out a big, hearty yawn, accompanied by a stretch. "..._day."_

After finishing up her song, she wriggled her way into the circle. "Morning, y'all," she said, her eyes drifting towards Clyde. "Clyde, right?"

Clyde nodded, and Mindy proceeded to scan her eyes across the circle, stopping at every member.

"Rusty. Zach. L...Leon?"

"Liam," he corrected.

"Ah, right, Liam. And you're Stella, and _you _are Lincoln."

"Yep!" said Lincoln. "I'm impressed you got it right, by the way. Most people call me 'Landon' or 'Larry' for a few weeks after they meet..."

Lincoln stopped once he caught sight of Mindy's face; her sunny smile had gone, and in its place was a concerned frown. She rubbed her chin as her eyes scanned him up and down.

"Is something wrong, Mindy?"

Then, without warning, she reached behind his neck, pinched his collar and straightened it out. Before he could even process what was happening, he felt her running her fingers through his hair, neatening it. Lincoln, too stunned to respond, could only wonder what she was going to do next. He didn't have to wonder long, though, because a moment later, she licked the tip of her pointer finger and rubbed it against his cheek. Lincoln blushed at the sensation of the girl massaging his cheek.

"Much better," she said as she took her hand away and drew back. By this point, her smile had returned. "You had a little bit of syrup on your face."

Lincoln's blush deepened as he recalled wolfing down his pancake breakfast that morning and rushing through the rest of his routine. Mornings at the Loud house were typically pretty hectic, but he still felt a bit sheepish for not taking a second or two to look at himself in the mirror.

"I... um... I... thanks?" said Lincoln, barely able to stutter out a response.

Mindy clasped her hand over her lips to muffle a giggle. "You're welcome."

With that, she pivoted away from Lincoln and towards the rest of the group. "...So! I heard there's a talent show coming up this October. Any of you thinking of auditioning?"

Rusty gave her a smug smirk. "Same thing I do every year: reading a list of all my best pickup lines. They always bring down the house."

His response elicited a few scattered laughs throughout the group. After that died down, the rest of them took a moment to think, mulling over their options.

"Now that you mention it, I _do _have some lasso tricks I could show off," said Liam.

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm," Mindy hummed as she nodded along.

"Maybe you could bring in that neat robot of yours!" Zach said to Stella. This prompted a double take from Mindy.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. _Robot_? Somebody clue me in."

Stella gave off a nervous chuckle. "I-it's nothing, really. I built and programmed a robot over the summer. I'm still tweaking it, but-"

Mindy cut her off with a sharp, melodic whistle. "Didn't know we had a mad scientist on our hands. Watch out, boys; this girl's got a terminator in her basement."

Stella choked out another chuckle, struggling to eke out a response as her body was wracked with laughter. "No, n-no, nothing like that. It only responds to basic verbal commands."

"I getcha, I getcha," Mindy said with a nod. "That still sounds pretty cool, though. I'd definitely sign up if I were you."

"Maybe," said Stella. "I'd have to tweak it a bit more first."

"Eh, do whatever you need. Just don't work _too _hard on it. You know what happens when robots get too smart."

With that, she swiveled to the left, turning her attention towards Lincoln. "What about you, Lincoln? Gonna show us some magic tricks?"

Lincoln hesitated, taken aback by her question. He hadn't expected her to remember that detail from yesterday's conversation.

"I-I'm not sure," he muttered. He had been honing his magic skills for a few years now, but so far he had only performed for friends and family. If he _did _sign up for the talent show, it would be the first time performing in front of a large audience.

"Could I get back to you on that?" he asked.

Mindy let out a light, lilting giggle. "You're cute."

Lincoln's entire body went rigid, as his cheeks started heating up. He couldn't even remember the last time a girl outside his family used the "c" word on him. In fact, he hadn't received such a blunt, straightforward compliment since... well, since yesterday, when she called him funny. But before that, it had been a while.

"C...cute?" he squeaked. "Me?"

"As a button," Mindy said sweetly. "But you should totally sign up, Lincoln. I'd love to see some of those magic tricks!"

Lincoln was going to respond, but was interrupted by the sound of the school bell going off. Mindy swerved her head towards the ringing bell, staring at it in mild disbelief.

"Already? Sheesh. Time flies. Anyway, I'd better jet. My homeroom's on the other side of the hall."

With that, she skipped away, giving Lincoln another one of those finger-twiddling waves before disappearing out of sight. After returning the wave, Lincoln returned his attention to the rest of the gang, only to find everyone's eyes upon him.

"How do you _do _it?" asked Rusty.

Lincoln decided not to dignify that with a response, and just walked into the classroom to take his seat. For the entirety of the period, all he could think about was the preceding thirty minutes. He spent a bit of his time to mull over her suggestion to sign up for the talent show... and the lion's share of it playing her words back in his head over and over again.

"_As a button..."_

* * *

Milo dominated Lucy's thoughts for the first few hours of school. In particular, his promise to teach her how to make a finger puppet was fresh in her mind; she tuned out several class lessons so she could ponder how she was going to design her puppet. What would its name be? What would it wear? Would it have long hair or short? What kind of details would she include for its backstory? All of those questions weighed on her mind.

As soon as she was let out for recess, her concealed eyes darted around the playground in search of her new friend. She didn't have to look for long, though, as she found him sitting in the exact same spot as she did the day before, tinkering away. She shuffled over to approach him, and was promptly greeted with a smile and wave. As expected, a plethora of supplies were already laid out on the ground before him.

"Hi, Lucy!" he said.

"Hello, Milo," she responded, as she knelt down on the ground to meet him.

"I'm glad you came back. Most kids I meet don't stick around for very long."

Lucy felt a twinge of sadness at this revelation; that said, given his carefree, nonchalant tone of voice, she couldn't bring herself to feel _too _sorry for him.

"Still want to learn how to make a finger puppet?" he asked.

Lucy responded with a curt nod.

"Then let's get started!"

With that, he handed her a pair of scissors, and a white fabric glove that already had a couple of its digits cut off. "First, you make the body. Go ahead and cut one of the fingers off that glove."

Lucy examined the glove; it was missing its middle and ring fingers, leaving only the pinky, pointer and thumb. Lucy had decided earlier that her puppet would be tall and lean, so the pointer finger was the obvious choice.

"Is white okay?" he asked. "I have other gloves if you'd like to choose a different color."

Lucy waved him off. "White is fine."

She pinched the top of the glove's pointer finger, letting it dangle from her hand, and proceeded to cut at the base. The scissor sliced right through the fabric with no trouble at all, and after a couple of snips, the digit was removed.

"Great! Now you gotta make its face. I usually start with the eyes."

Lucy nodded, spying a tin full of googly eyes on the ground near her. She reached toward the tin... and then drew her hand back. Now that she thought about it, the prop wasn't quite appropriate for the character she had in mind. She wanted to create someone dignified, with gravitas - and googly eyes were just too goofy.

"It's okay if you don't want the googly eyes," said Milo. "There are other ways you can make the eyes. Sometimes I just draw them on with a marker."

Lucy mulled over his suggestion. Sure, she _could_ just draw on a couple of dots and call it a day, but did she really want to? After all, the eyes were the centerpiece of the face, the windows to the soul. They'd invariably be the first feature her friends would notice when she showed her finger puppet to them. Surely there was some other method she could use. She scanned her eyes across all the materials Milo had laid out in front of him...

...and then, inspiration struck. She spied a tin of sparkling, hexagonal sequins, of varying different colors. There was her answer.

"Pass me some of those sequins, please," she said, pointing at the tin.

Milo gave her a peculiar look. "I thought you were doing the eyes first."

"I am. I want his eyes to shine. My puppet will have a glistening stare."

Milo, cracking a smile, snapped up the tin and handed it to Lucy, along with a tube of glue. "I like the way you think!" he chirped.

Lucy couldn't help but smile back as she took the supplies from Milo. She laid the severed finger down in front of her and hovered the tube of glue over it. With utmost care, she dipped the tube downward, letting the tip of the nozzle kiss the surface of the fabric twice. Once that was done, she plucked two black sequins out from the tin and pressed them on. Once they were on, she took a moment to wait - partially to let the glue dry, and partially to admire what she had done so far. Already, it looked like the puppet was staring into her soul.

Milo then proceeded to walk her through the rest of the process. She used the yarn to fashion him short, blood-red locks of hair, and cut him a silver scarf made out of cloth. She drew the nose on with a black marker, and did the same for the mouth; for the latter, she drew a line that curved just a bit upward, giving him an eerie half-smile. As a final touch, she drew on a couple of fangs.

"All done," she said with pride. Milo shuffled across the ground and joined Lucy at her side, gazing down at her new creation. "Oh, wow," he said in a breathy tone, mesmerized by what she had done. "He's really something. What's his name?"

"Thaddeus," said Lucy. "He's a vampire. He feasts on the blood and souls of the living."

Milo recoiled in surprise, making his blond curls bounce to and fro. "Oh, that's scary!" he cried.

Lucy's stomach lurched, as she sensed she had unwittingly stepped over one of his boundaries. No, not just stepped over it, but _leaped _over it. In her carelessness, she had forgotten that not all children share her affinity for the macabre.

"I'm sorry," she said with a sigh, as a feeling of shame welled within her. She couldn't even bring herself to look Milo in the eye.

"Sorry for what?" he asked. "I didn't say I didn't like him. I said he was scary."

Lucy, taken a bit aback, snapped out of her self-pitying daze and turned towards Milo, who now bore an expression of intrigue rather than fear.

"You... you _like _scary?"

"Yeah, sometimes," he said. "It can be fun to be scared."

Lucy, for the second time that period, broke into a smile. It was rare that she met someone outside her circle who _got _her, on some level. Besides her friends in the Mortician's Club, her peers tended to see her as a bit of a creep. But if that last sentence was any indication, Milo was a rare example of someone who would give her the freedom to be herself.

Some of the time, at least.

"So you like him?"

"Yeah, a lot!" he said. "He's really creepy. I love the way his eyes sparkle."

Lucy blushed a little, as he had just pointed out the design choice she was proudest of. Suspecting that the glue had dried, she peeled Thaddeus off the ground and slipped him onto her finger. She then presented him to Milo, who responded by taking Gus out of his backpack and slipping him onto his own finger.

"Nice to meet you, Thaddeus!" said Milo, taking on a gruff tone of voice. He brought Gus up to Thaddeus's face and flexed his finger a couple of times, making him pat Thaddeus on the head. Lucy felt a light, tingling feeling radiate out from the spot where his fingertip touched hers. The tingling intensified once she got a good look at his face - his smile bright, his green eyes round and wide.

"N-nice to meet you too, Gus," she said, forgetting to change her voice. "It's rare that I make friends with mortals."

Milo laughed and tried to come back with a response, but the bell rang before he could.

"Oh, shoot! just when things were getting good."

Milo sighed and started packing up his supplies. "But this was a lot of fun, Lucy! You've got a real imagination."

Lucy turned her hand inward, gazing down at her new creation. "I guess I do."

"I _know _you do," said Milo. Before taking off for the schoolhouse, he leaned in towards Lucy and gave Thaddeus a pat on the head.

"See you tomorrow, Lucy!" he said as he walked off. "And you too, Thaddeus!"

After watching Milo disappear out of sight, Lucy ambled back towards the school, doting on her new finger puppet every step of the way. His reflective eyes glistening in the sunlight, his crimson locks fluttering in the fall breeze... she had truly created something special. Once she got inside, she was forced to put him away - but that didn't stop her from remembering her new friend's elated response to her first effort.

_Milo... liked it._

_Milo... likes me._


	3. Regrouping

Lincoln was still in a daze when he came home after school. The way Mindy doted on him throughout the day had left a lasting effect on him - especially since it didn't stop after that morning. At lunch, she greeted him with a boop on the nose, eliciting another blush. During the same period, she offered him one of the donut holes that her mom had packed her for dessert. When he said yes, rather than handing him a hole, she simply popped it into his mouth. It took him five seconds before he could even start chewing.

That, and he was seriously considering her suggestion to enter the talent show. Sure, he had never performed in front of a large audience before, but there was a first time for everything, wasn't there? Lord knows he'd have to clear that hurdle sooner or later if he was serious about pursuing magic as a hobby.

All of that was running through his mind as he walked through the front door. The house, as he expected, was already abuzz with activity - Lori hanging out on the stairs while she called Bobby, the twins upstairs arguing over which one of them was taller, Lynn in the kitchen trying to deadlift the refrigerator...

...and at the center of it all, Lucy, who was cradling a finger puppet in her hand with a dreamy smile on her face.

Curious, Lincoln walked up and took a seat next to his little sister.

"Hey, Lucy. Whatcha got there?"

"His name's Thaddeus," said Lucy, keeping her eyes on the puppet. "I made him today."

Lincoln raised an eyebrow at this. "Made him? Where, in art class?"

"No," she said. "I met a boy on the playground - someone I had never seen before. He was sitting on the ground making puppets, all by himself. He taught me how to make my own."

At this, his mind conjured up an image of a quiet little boy, sitting alone amongst a chaotic, cacophonic crowd of kids, oblivious to the commotion around him. Knowing how reserved and introverted his little sister was, he found it unsurprising that she would gravitate towards such a boy.

"What's his name?" he asked.

"Milo." she replied.

"Cute?"

Her smile swelled. "A little," she said, shimmying a little as she tried to hold in a giggle. "I think he likes me."

Lincoln beamed. It was moments like these that reminded him that, underneath that mask of stoicism and aloofness, his dark, brooding poet of a sister was still just a little girl. Enchanted, he gave her thick, licorice-like hair a good tousling. "Ahhh, that's my girl," he said warmly. "Have you told the other girls yet?"

And just like that, Lucy lost her smile. "I'd rather not. You know how they get when they hear about a boy. Or a girl, in your case."

"Don't get me started," Lincoln said with a shudder. "Speaking of which, I met someone new yesterday, too."

"Oh, really?" she asked, breaking out of her usual monotone as a hint of excitement entered her voice. "Do tell."

"Her name's Mindy. I was having lunch with the gang when she just slid her way into our circle and introduced herself. It was kinda weird, if I'm being honest, but for some reason she's really taken a liking to us."

His eyes drifted downward, and he began twiddling his fingers. "Especially me."

Lucy leaned into Lincoln, a burgeoning grin forming on her face. "Do tell," she repeated, with noticeably more fervor than before.

Lincoln took a cursory glance around the room to make sure that there were no other sisters in earshot. Once he sensed that the coast was clear, he proceeded.

"W-well, today, before school, she was talking to us about the talent show. I think she's going to be in it. She sings, you know, and she's, uh, got a really good voice. I mean, I'm no singer myself, but from my, you know, point of view, I..."

Lincoln's cheeks got redder and redder as he continued his story. He was doing whatever he could to stall himself from reaching the ending of his anecdote, knowing that he ran the risk of passing out from bashfulness as soon as he got there.

Unfortunately, Lucy could only tolerate so much.

"Get to the point."

"Okay, okay. Um... she asked if I wanted to sign up and do magic, and I said I'd have to think about it, and out of nowhere she... she..."

"Yessss?"

"..._she called me cute_," he squeaked. "As a button."

Lucy gasped with delight, lunged forward and squeezed him as tight as she could. Lincoln was a bit startled at first, but eventually returned the hug.

"I'm so proud of you, big brother," she whispered.

At this, Lincoln's smile blossomed into an ear-to-ear grin, as his heart swelled in his chest. It wasn't often that he had the privilege of hearing one of his younger sisters call him "big brother", and when it did happen, it was almost always either Lola or Lana. Hearing _Lucy, _of all girls, refer to him in such a way, was the kind of heart-meltingly sweet moment that only came around once in a blue moon. Lincoln would have been happy to hold that hug for hours...

...if he wasn't running out of air.

"L-Lucy... thank you, but I still need to breathe."

At this, Lucy withdrew her arms and scooted away, leaving his ribs slightly achy.

_Gosh, she's strong for a little girl_, he thought.

"I wouldn't let her get away if I were you," she said. "It's obvious that she likes you. And you like her, don't you?"

"Well, of course I-" began Lincoln, only to stop himself as he felt a needle of doubt prick him. True, Mindy was infectiously cheerful, and she certainly made yesterday's lunch period more interesting than it would have been. That, and she was pretty easy on the eyes. Attractive, even. But he wasn't sure how comfortable he was with her zealous displays of affection.

"...actually, that's a good question," he said. "I don't think I'd mind keeping her as a friend, but... I don't know. She's a bit _much_."

Lucy shrugged. "She probably just wants to make a strong first impression. She'll mellow out."

"Gosh, I sure hope so," he said with a nervous chuckle. "After what happened this morning I felt like I was going to explode."

The two of them shared a laugh, and then a quick hug, before hopping off the couch and making their way upstairs. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, though, they were met with a sight that made both of their hearts sink in unison: a grinning Lori, with her arms folded across her chest and her left eyebrow cocked.

"Uh- hey, Lori," said Lincoln. "How much did you hear?"

"_Enough._"


	4. The Next Phase Begins

It didn't take long for the Sisternado to pick up steam. Lori's gushing got the attention of then Leni, who got the attention of Lynn, and then Luan, and then Lola, until all nine of their sisters were swarming around them and showering them with affection while squealing at the top of their lungs. Lucy and Lincoln could do little but hold each other and cower.

Fortunately, once the initial storm petered out, the sisters were able to give them some sensible advice about what to do going forward. The girls gave Lincoln some general grooming tips (keep your hair brushed, use cologne but don't overspray it, make sure your breath is fresh, etc.) while Lori helped coach him on conversation.

"If you want her to stay interested, you have to be interested in her," she said. "Girls _really _like to talk about themselves. Ask her about where she's from and what she likes to do for fun."

Their approach to Lucy was a bit different. They decided not to give her a full makeover, as they all remembered what happened the last time they tried to change Lucy's image to help her woo a boy. Instead, the girls gave her several of the same grooming tips that Lincoln received, while suggesting that she allow herself to smile more.

"I know you don't like to smile that much," said Leni. "But if you don't smile around him, he'll think that you don't like him."

Lucy looked into Leni's eyes and, with a bit of effort, curled her lips into a slight smile.

"It's a start," said Luan.

The crash course in courting went on for about an hour more before the sisters finally decided that they'd taught Lincoln and Lucy enough. After the dust settled, the two of them mulled over what their game plans would be for tomorrow's interactions. Lincoln reminded himself to make an effort to ask her about herself, taking his sisters' advice to heart. However, beyond that, the "man with the plan" didn't really have a plan in mind. He knew that Mindy was already quite fond of him, so he figured that he would be fine if he just winged it and didn't try too hard.

Lucy, on the other hand, had to think harder about what she would do. She supposed that they could just make finger puppets together again, but where would that leave them by the end of the day? She wanted their relationship to progress, not stagnate; if they just did the same thing day after day, eventually it would get old. What could she do to introduce a new element of fun into their play?

That night, they both went to bed with butterflies in their stomach, eager to see where their respective journeys would take them.

* * *

The next day, Lincoln arrived at school with his hair neatly brushed, his collar folded in place and his teeth thoroughly brushed. Not one to take any chances, Lincoln also packed a box of mints in his pocket should his breath begin to falter during the day.

_In the meantime, I'll just have to keep an eye out for her,_ he thought as he walked through the front doors. _She'll be here any-_

"Oh, hi, Lincoln!" Mindy chirped, swooping into his field of view.

Lincoln jolted back in surprise, causing her to giggle.

"Sorry 'bout that. Did I scare you?"

"N-no," he stammered as he tried to catch his breath. "I-I'm fine."

"If you say so," she said. "So what's going on with you? Have you thought about signing up for the talent show?"

_Oh, right! _He had almost forgotten about the talent show. In his carelessness, he had neglected to nurture the idea she planted in her head the morning prior. His first impulse was to say that he still had to think about it, but he suspected that such an answer would annoy or frustrate her. After all, he wanted to come off as someone who cared about what she had to say.

So, in the heat of the moment, he made his decision on the spot.

"Actually, I was just on my way to do exactly that," he said with a smirk, pointing down the hall.

"Oh, me too!" she cried. "Let's go together."

An airy feeling of satisfaction rippled through his body as they started down the hall. _You know what, Lincoln? You made the right choice. You want to be a great magician, don't you? Well, is the first step. Pat yourself on the back._

While they walked, his gaze wandered over towards her and lingered near her face. Up to that point, he had seen her several times, but he hadn't really taken the time to _look _at her. In that moment, he started to pick up details that he hadn't noticed before: the light flurry of freckles around her cheeks, the way her braids would sway behind her like a pendulum when she walked, the warm hazel hue of her eyes. A moment later, Mindy caught him looking her over and gave him a smile - which he returned in kind. _So far, so good, _he thought.

They hadn't gotten much farther, however, before the advice that Lori gave him the day before clicked in his head.

_If you want her to stay interested, you have to be interested in her._

"So where are you from?" he asked. "I don't think you've told us yet."

Mindy's eyes drifted away from his. "North Dakota," she said flatly.

An awkward silence ensued as Lincoln waited for a followup - which never came. Taking Lori's advice to heart, he decided to press her further.

"...and?"

"And what?" she asked. "What more is there to say? It's North Dakota. They're not even the best Dakota."

_Ouch_, he thought. _She's not wrong, though. At least South Dakota has Mount Rushmore._

"Well, surely there are some things you miss about your old home."

"Oh, sure, there are _tons _of things I mis about North Dakota," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Rocks, trees, cows, dirt roads. Really riveting stuff."

"Okay, okay, I get it," Lincoln said with a chuckle. "Ha, ha... ha..."

Lincoln's laugh died off once he realized that Mindy wasn't laughing with him. A sharp twinge of worry pierced his heart as his mind scrambled for a way to get things back on track.

"You- um- you like Muscle Fish, right?"

Mindy's eyes snapped back towards his. "Oh, yeah, I love Muscle Fish!" she said, bearing a stoked grin.

Lincoln sighed with relief as the tension left his body. For the next minute or so, the two of them chatted about their favorite games in the series - and Mindy elaborated on her preference for 4 over 3, which Lincoln grudgingly nodded along to. Before long, they reached the bulletin board at the end of the hall, with the talent show signup sheet pinned right in the center. It already had the first few spaces filled out.

_Rusty Spokes - Pickup lines_

_Jordan Rosato - Irish stepdancing_

_Liam Marshall - Lasso tricks_

_Mollie Frielich - Weight lifting_

Before going to sign up, Lincoln noticed an update at the foot of the paper and read it out loud.

"NOTE: Starting today, the auditorium will be reserved one hour after dismissal for entrants who want to practice."

He turned to Mindy. "You gonna take advantage of that?"

"Oh, for sure!" said Mindy. "I mean, not today, since I promised I'd help cook dinner tonight, but definitely tomorrow. How about you?"

Lincoln nodded. "Yeah, my skills could use some tuning up. Plus, it'll be neat to see what everyone else has to offer. And, you know..."

He gave Mindy a sly smirk, eliciting a giggle from her. "...do some showing off of my own. Anyway, let's sign up!"

He snatched the pen that was attached to the side and prepared to write his name. Before the point touched the paper, though, he was struck with the realization that he still had a lady by his side - a lady he wanted to impress. He turned towards Mindy and handed the pen over to her.

"After you."

Mindy grinned, graciously taking the pen and scribbling out her name and talent. "_Such _a gentleman."

_Mindy Meyer - Singing_

She then handed the pen over to him, and watched with satisfaction as he signed his name below hers.

_Lincoln Loud - Magic_

"And we're in!" he declared. "You know, I must thank you, Mindy. I don't think I would have signed up if you hadn't put the idea in my head."

Mindy shrugged. "It was nothing. All you really needed was a little _push_."

She punctuated the last word by giving Lincoln a hip bump, causing him to stumble backwards. His arms flailed about as he frantically tried to maintain his balance.

"W-whoa!" he yelped. After a bit of wobbling, he managed to rebalance himself.

Mindy couldn't help but laugh at his over-the-top display. "You're adorable, Lincoln," she said, ruffling his hair. "But I gotta go. Almost time for homeroom. Ta-ta!"

For the next minute, Lincoln stood there motionlessly, with a dreamy smile on his face and his cheeks a rosy shade of red, as he watched her disappear from view. Once he came to his senses and started walking down the hall to his own homeroom, he started replaying the previous interaction in his head - and there was one question that continually nagged at him.

_What's her beef with North Dakota?_

* * *

Meanwhile, Lucy found Milo in the exact same place as the previous day - in their secluded spot on the playground. She confidently strode up to him, having assembled a perfect game plan in her head the previous night.

"Hey, there, Lucy!" he called, giving her a big smile. Lucy, recalling her sisters' advice, responded with a smile of her own, causing his to swell.

"Ready to make some more finger puppets?" he asked, taking out Gus. "I know I am!" he added, speaking for his puppet. "The more, the merrier!"

Lucy allowed herself a small giggle at Milo's antics, but shook her head. "Actually," she said as she took out Thaddeus, "I was thinking that we could develop the ones we already have."

Milo tilted his head at her. "Develop them?" he asked, drawing his hand to his chin. "What do you mean?"

Lucy responded by slipping Thaddeus onto her finger and edging him closer to Gus. "We know that Gus and Thaddeus are friends," she explained. "But _why _are they friends? Why would a rockstar be friends with a vampire?"

Milo lost his smile as he contemplated her question, his eyes drifting back and forth between his puppet and hers. "Hmmm... that's a good question, Lucy. Why do _you _think they would be friends?"

Lucy's heart fluttered in anticipation, as that was the exact sort of response she was hoping for. He had already shown her his talent for crafts, and now it was her chance to show off her own talent - that for writing and world building.

"Thaddeus never respected humans," started Lucy. "He never had a reason to. As a vampire, he only saw them as prey. But one night, he happened to meet a human who changed his mind."

She paused and looked over at Milo to gauge his reaction. To her satisfaction, he was staring at her in rapt attention. Emboldened, she continued on.

"It was past midnight, and Thaddeus was engaged in a vicious duel with vampire killer Antoine du Collette. The two of them had taken their battle miles away from town, where nobody could intervene. As the full moon reached its zenith over the horizon, Thaddeus knocked Antoine's blade out of his hand and slashed open his jugular vein."

She swiped her finger back and forth, demonstrating Thaddeus's deadly, merciless _coup de grace_.

"But... before he bled out, Antoine grabbed his sword off of the ground and thrust it into Thaddeus's thigh!"

She made her finger go rigid, before slowly curling it into a ball. Milo gasped, clasping his hands over his mouth.

"It was a pyrrhic victory for Thaddeus - one that left him helpless and crippled, miles away from civilization. If he didn't find shelter by sunrise, he would surely die. He crawled away from the scene of the duel, dragging his injured leg behind him, until he finally arrived at the side of the road leading into town. As luck would have it, a rockstar's tour bus happened to be passing by at _that very moment_."

"Gus!" cried Milo. "A-a-and then, he helped him into the bus, and he nursed him back to health, right?"

"Exactly," she said. "And even after Thaddeus told him that he was a vampire, Gus didn't change his mind about helping him. In his three hundred years on earth, Thaddeus had never experienced such hospitality. The two of them formed an unshakable bond that night."

"Yeah! So, during the day, he lets Thaddeus sleep in his tour bus. And then at night, he joins Gus on stage and uses his vampire powers to spice up the show!"

"And _after_ the show," said Lucy, bearing a mischievous grin, "he tracks down hecklers and sucks their blood."

"Ewwwww!" he squealed, in between snickers. "That's nasty! But I guess vampires still have to eat."

"Such is the curse of immortality," she responded.

Milo, getting increasingly giddy, flexed his finger a couple times to make Gus tap Thaddeus on the shoulder. "Hey, Thaddeus!" he said, taking on a gruff tone of voice. "This music reviewer said that my music is for... um... pillocks! I think he'd make a tasty snack!"

"Oh, I'm sure he will," said Lucy, dropping her voice an octave. "Thank you for your cooperation, Gus. I am forever in your debt."

The two of them went back and forth in-character for a little while, waving their puppets to and fro. The whole exchange - which included a minor squabble over Gus's insistence on using a night light - ended with them collapsing onto the asphalt ground, giggling.

"T-that was fun," Milo said as he picked himself up on the floor. "I like you."

Lucy had just gotten back up when her brain processed that last line, making her stop cold. "C-come again?"

"I like you!" he repeated. "You've got lots of cool ideas and you're great at telling stories. I can't wait to hear more of them!"

A tiny wisp of a blush started to creep across Lucy's cheeks, as her heart started thumping the inside of her chest and goosebumps sprouted all over her pale skin. "I... thank you, Milo. I like you, too."

Her heart started thumping even harder as Milo took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.

"I'm really happy I met you," he continued. "I bet tomorrow will be even more fun! But I think it's almost time to go."

A moment later, the bell rang, proving his suspicion correct. At that point, she could do little but stand there and wave goodbye as he disappeared out of sight. The spot where his hand touched hers continued to tingle long after he was gone, and her sense of dignity was the only thing keeping her from squealing. Lord knows how long Lucy would have stood there on the playground if not for the interjection of another classmate:

"Hey, weird girl, didn't you hear the bell?"


	5. Passions

Lincoln entered the auditorium after school to find it bustling with activity. Around the room, he saw a few students he remembered from the signup sheet, and a few who must have signed up after him; Girl Jordan was on stage dancing away, Mollie was spotted downstage practicing her clean and jerk with a hefty-looking barbell, and Flat Tire was in the back row with a trombone, going through the major scales.

But as busy as the auditorium was, it didn't take long for him to pick out Mindy. In the few days since he met her, Lincoln had become somewhat familiar with her distinctive singing voice - smooth and buttery, with a slight midwestern twang - and she wasn't exactly shy about belting, so her voice cut through the commotion without too much trouble. And sure enough, there she was, sitting upright on a seat in the back row.

_"Suppose you were a little cat_

_Residin' in a person's flat_

_Who fed you fish and scratched your ears..."_

Lincoln, feeling a bit mischievous, decided to pay her back for scaring him the previous day. With a grin spreading across his face, he tiptoed up behind her as she sung. The floor behind the last row was uncarpeted, but he doubted that his footsteps were loud enough to cut through the ambient noise. Luckily, they weren't, and before long, he was standing just an inch behind her. For just a few tense seconds, he hovered his hands over her shoulders, before clamping them down and...

_"What's up, Mindy?!"_

The songstress jumped out of her seat, as the note she was holding shot up an octave.

"Suppose you-EEEEEEEEE!"

On instinct, Lincoln yanked back his hands and backed up an inch or two. Mindy took a moment to catch her breath before turning herself around 180 degrees - and as soon as her eyes met Lincoln's, her annoyed frown flipped upside down into a delighted smile.

"Lincoln!" she cried. "You made it!"

"I promised I would, didn't I?" Lincoln said with a shrug. "A Loud always keeps his word."

Mindy leaped over the back row and gave Lincoln a quick squeeze. "Got a trick to show me, Copperfield?"

"I sure do!" he chirped, having anticipated that very question. He reached into his back pocket, plucked out a diamond ring and held it in front of her face. Mindy flinched at the sight - possibly from surprise, but it may have just been the light reflected off the diamond hitting her eye. Once that wore off, she gave Lincoln a cheeky look, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Is this the part where I say 'I do'?" she asked.

Lincoln blushed, although in hindsight he should have seen that line coming; after all, Ronnie Anne got the exact same idea the first time he showed the trick to her. After regaining his composure, he clenched his fist, entrapping the ring inside it. While keeping her eyes focused on his closed fist, he gesticulated towards it with his free hand, spouting off some made-up words. He then opened his fist to reveal not one, not two, but _three _identical diamond rings resting in his palm.

Mindy gasped and began to applaud, but he waved her off. "The trick's not over yet," he said. "Watch this!"

He reclosed his fist, and performed the same gestures as before. This time, when he opened his fist, the three rings were interlocked together. With a confident smirk, he picked up each end of his makeshift chain, held it in front of her face and pulled it taut. Mindy - who, by now, was grinning ear to ear - began to applaud again. With his heart swelling with pride, he took a step back and bowed, thanking his one-girl audience for her kindness. It was rare for him to receive this sort of validation from someone outside his family.

"So how long have you been doing this?" she asked.

"Not too long, actually," he said as he dropped the rings back into his pocket. "In fact, for the longest time, I was afraid of magic."

Mindy dropped her hands to her sides and narrowed her eyes at him. "You're kidding."

"I wish I was," he said, his voice heavy with shame. "At my seventh birthday party, my mom hired this magician, and he did that trick where you... um..."

Lincoln stopped himself midway once he noticed the look that Mindy was giving him; a dreamy smile was starting to spread across her face.

"W-what's with that look?"

"Oh, I'm just picturing you as a little kid," she said, edging closer to him as she twirled one of her braids around her finger. "You must have been _such _a cutie pie back then."

Lincoln's blush resurged yet again, though he tried to suppress it. "Heh, yeah, my mom always said I was a cute kid," he replied. "A-anyway, she hired a party magician, and- you know that trick they do where they pull a rabbit out of a hat?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Well, he did it, and I totally freaked out. Like, full-on panic."

Mindy let out a light, lilting laugh, half-shielding her mouth with her left hand.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he said with a roll of his eyes. "At the time I was so embarrassed I wanted to die."

"I can imagine," she said as her laughter died down. "But what changed? When did you stop being afraid?"

"Well, a year after that, Clyde invited me to _his _birthday party. At first I was psyched, but when I got to the party, I saw _that very same magician _doing tricks. I almost ran out of the party right then and there, but I didn't want to be rude."

"Oh, wow. Did he recognize you?"

Lincoln cracked a smile as his memory of the experience came rushing back. "Not only did he recognize me, but as soon as he saw me, he stopped the show and pulled me aside for a few minutes. He told me that there was nothing to be afraid of, and showed me how he did the rabbit trick."

Mindy gasped, clasping her hands together. "Awwww, that was so _sweet _of him!" she kvelled. "So then what? Did you try the trick yourself?"

"Yeah!" he said. "I mean, I used a stuffed bunny instead of a real one, but everything else was the same. The first time I did it in front of my sisters, well..."

His eyes drifted away from hers, as his small smile swelled and blossomed into a full-on grin. "...gosh, you should have seen their faces light up."

Once his eyes turned back towards her, he found that her face still bore a smile - not as big as the one that was there before, but dense with tenderness. Her eyes shimmered, while her lips quivered ever so slightly.

"That must have felt wonderful," she said in a half-whispered tone.

"It did," he whispered back. "It really did." That was really all he could think of to say in response. The way she looked at him set off a storm of butterflies in his stomach; from his perspective, it almost looked like she was ready to kiss him.

"But anyway, that's enough about me," he said, trying to quell the storm brewing inside him. "What about you? How long have you been singing?"

"Since I was barely out of diapers," she said. "See, I figured out pretty early that singing is a good way to get attention. It's like yelling that doesn't strain your throat. So whenever I felt ignored, I'd just start singing Baa-Baa Black Sheep or Old MacDonald."

"Ignored?" asked Lincoln. "How often did you feel ignored?"

"Pretty often. See, when I was three, my mom brought me home a baby brother. And, well, you know how it is - the new baby comes along, and all of a sudden _he__'s _the center of mommy and daddy's universe."

"Yeah, I've definitely been there before," he said, scratching the back of his head. "But go on."

"Well, ater a year or two of that, my mom started paying for voice lessons," said Mindy. "She figured that if I was gonna sing all the time, I should at least be good at it."

After she and Lincoln shared a laugh, he picked the conversation up again.

"So that's what it was all about?" he asked. "Getting people to pay attention to you?"

"You know, in a way, it still is," she said. "See, the great thing about singing is that you can't ignore a singer. Painters and writers, they all do fine work, but they've gotta _convince _people to look at what they make. But when you stand up and belt out a melody, even if you're not that great, you're gonna start turning heads. And that moment when you're up on stage or in the middle of the room and everyone's eyes are on you... I _love _that."

She took a step backward and turned her gaze upwards, as if she was addressing a larger audience. "When I sing, it's like I'm sending a message out to the world. I'm _here_. I _matter_. I have _worth_."

That was when the butterflies started swarming again. He couldn't help but notice that, on the last few words, her voice started to ache; it almost sounded like she was trying to force those words out of her gullet. For the second time, the conversation was getting a bit more "real" than he had anticipated. He'd have to choose his words carefully in order to break the tension.

"Mindy, I... well, for what it's worth, I think you sound lovely."

The songstress turned back towards him and gave him a weak smile. "Thank you. That's sweet of you."

Lincoln, relieved, was able to calm the butteflies back down again - although her response was a little more curt than what he typically expected from her. He scarcely had a chance to dwell on that, though, before her phone started buzzing and vibrating. She snatched up her phone to see a message from her reminder app.

"Oh, hey, I almost forgot to ask! Tomorrow at 5 they're gonna be adding a Muscle Fish machine to the arcade at Gus' Games and Grub. Want to be the first to try it?"

"Sure!" said Lincoln, his face lighting up in anticipation.

_"Great_. I'll see you then. I'll be sure to put your skills to the test. No Johns."

"Of course, of course," he said with a nervous chuckle.

Soon afterward, the clock struck three, and all of the talent show entrants were excused from the auditorium. Mindy bade Lincoln goodbye with a boop on the nose before the two of them went their separate ways. He began his stroll home, his heart fluttering in anticipation of tomorrow's activity...

...and then, suddenly, he heard a sharp _ping_ from his own phone, notifying him of a new text.

_Oh, who could that be?_

He picked it up, unlocked it, and saw a new text from Rusty - one that brought him crashing down to earth.

_Hey, Linc-Man! Just locked in the reservations for tomorrow at Jean Juan's. You're still on for that, right?_

Lincoln's stomach lurched. In his excitement, he had completely forgotten that he had already agreed to join the gang at Jean Juan's French-Mexican Buffet for Fajita Friday. Either he'd have to come up with a harebrained scheme to fulfill both of those requirements...

...or he'd have to let someone down.

* * *

Lucy's day, meanwhile, followed a similar trajectory as the past few did. As usual, she spotted him near the wall of the schoolhouse, positioned away from their revelous, rambunctious classmates scattered across the playground. But though she typically found him seated on the ground with his supplies strewn around him, today he was standing, with nothing but his backpack resting at his feet. Curious, she drew closer. Once Milo caught sight of her, he responded with a timid wave.

"Hello, Milo," she said. "No crafting today?"

"No, sorry, not today. My mom had to borrow my craft box for something."

He then knelt down, unzipped the front pocket of his backpack and reached inside. "But look! I made a bride for Thaddeus. I think she came out really well!"

Before Lucy could properly react to that news, he delicately fished a pint-sized woman out from inside. This one, to Lucy's surprise, was not a finger puppet, but a yarn doll. She had two beady eyes, cascades of jet black hair long enough to graze her waist, and an impish grin. She wore a blood-red, sleeveless dress, and what looked like a sapphire brooch right below her neckline.

"I think I'm gonna call her Amber," he said as he held the doll in front of Lucy's face. She peered closely at his new creation and hovered her hand around it. Like Gus, Amber's relatively simple expression was dense with emotion; she looked confident, self-assured and just a little mischievous.

"Go on, take her!" said Milo. "She's not gonna bite you."

As soon as she got the green light, Lucy took the doll from him and started running her fingers over her. To her wonder, every single part of her - the body, the dress and even the brooch - was made of smooth, supple yarn. She gave her a gentle squeeze, and couldn't help but smile at the sensation of her fingers sinking into the doll's soft, cuddlesome body.

"Do you like her?" he asked. "The brooch was pretty tricky, but-"

"Milo, she's beautiful," she said, running her fingers through Amber's hair. "Thaddeus would be proud to call her his bride."

Milo laughed, taken aback by Lucy's compliment. "Aw, shucks. I mean, I knew you'd like her, but - beautiful? Really?"

"Gorgeous," she said. "Did you really knit her all by yourself?"

"Yep!" he chirped. "But actually, it's called 'crochet', not knitting. My grandma taught me how to do it."

Lucy peered closer at the doll, marveling at the craftsmanship - oodles of string, all bound snugly into one compact body. She could scarcely imagine how intricate the process behind her construction must have been.

"I know it looks impressive, but crocheting isn't that hard," he said. "It just takes some practice."

She shook her head, making her ebony bangs shimmy back and forth. "Don't be so humble," she said, handing him back the doll. "You have a gift. Recognize it. Nurture it. Don't let it die."

"Oh, I would never," he replied, as he let the doll rest in his palm. "These dolls are a big part of my life, you know."

_A big part of his life? _Lucy had always suspected that dollmaking was more than just a hobby to Milo - and now, it seemed, her suspicions were being confirmed. "Tell me more," she said, her voice seized with intrigue.

His gaze drifted outwards, away from Lucy and towards the gaggles of other children at play. The ten to twenty feet between our duo and the rest of the class may as well have been a mile, for all the acknowledgement the two groups gave each other.

"I got into it when I was in kindergarten," hs said. "Sometimes I got lonely when the other kids didn't want to play with me. So I started making dolls like these to keep me company. Every day I'd make more and more dolls, and I got better and better."

His attention then shifted away from the riff-raff and down towards his newest, proudest creation - the raven-haired doll resting in his hand.

"That's what I like about dolls and puppets," he said as he caressed Amber's forehead. "They won't push you away or call you weird. They like you for who you are and they'll stay by your side no matter what."

Lucy's heart quivered in response to the poignancy of his words. Her feelings intensified once she caught a glimpse of his face, and saw that he bore a fragile, trembling smile. She ached to do something - _anything _\- that would give him the reassurance he needed. Her throught tightened up as her mind scrambled for the right words.

"Milo... I-"

His eyes turned towards her. "Hmm?"

_Dang it. _Now she was on the spot. Left with no further time to pick her words, she simply let them pour out of her.

"Milo, you know, I... I've been there before. My classmates used to think I was weird, too. I mean, they still do, but it doesn't bother me anymore, because, well..."

She took tentative steps towards the young boy, with her hands clasped in front of her. "...because I have friends now. Friends like you."

She stared into his wide, timid eyes, and he gave her a smile - this one stronger, healthier, more robust than the one he had a moment earlier. Emboldened, she continued.

"We're not weird, Milo. We're just cursed to live in a world where most people don't understand us."

Milo shyly averted her gaze and started twirling one of his curly blonde locks around his finger. "Well... I'm glad you do, at least."

Lucy took a step towards him, and could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that his shirt was riding up a bit more than usual, exposing his belly button. In that moment - for reasons she didn't understand - she felt an odd compulsion to poke him.

To tickle him. To squeeze him. To hold him. To be held _by _him.

Her heartbeat accelerated, and her breaths became shorter and more labored. This wasn't the first time she had romantic feelings for a boy, but _this -_ this primal desire for physical contact - was foreign to her. She had to take a step back.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" he asked, eyeing her with some concern.

"I-I'm fine," she gasped. "I just - I-"

_RING_

Mercifully, the bell rang just in time.

"Aw, shucks, out of time," he said. "This was nice, though. It's always a pleasure to see you."

He placed Amber into Lucy's open hand, zipped up his bag and started back towards the schoolhouse. "And hey! Maybe tomorrow I can bring my needles and show you how to crochet!"

"S-sure, that'd be great," she said, clutching onto the doll. She stared dazedly at him as he disappeared out of sight. Once he did, she looked down at Amber for a couple of seconds before squeezing her like a teddy bear, letting the doll's cheek rest against her own.


End file.
